Apparatus for making grease



`Pune 5, 1934. J. McKl-:E 31,961,903

APPARATUS FOR MAKING GREASE Filed Nov. 2o, 1928 2 sheets-sheet 1 June 5, 1934. J. McKEE ,961,903

APPARATUS FR MAKING GREASE Filed NOV. 20, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented `lune 5, 1934 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS Foa MAKING GREASE James McKee, Media, Pa., assignor to Sun Oil Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 20, 1928, Serial No. 320,558

1 Claim. (Cl. 257-108) My invention relates to improved apparatus of the kettle. The shaft or spindle e is suitably for making grease. jurnalled and is driven through gearing ,f by a My invention has for its object the provision motor g, mounted on top of the kettle. of apparatus by which a grease of superior quality The kettle is provided externally with separate 5 and more uniform may be produced with a savadjacent arcuate vertically extending jacket i ing of time and at lower pressure than has been members h, adapted to be individually supplied heretofore required- V with steam through pipes h' connected to a' cir- In the production of grease bymethods heretocular header z' in turn connected with a source fore known, it has been customary to first effect of steam through pipe from which a branch y" saponication of the fat ingredient and then add is led'into and affords a supply of steam to a 65 the oil ingredient and water to the saponiiiedf bottom jacket chamber of the kettle. The jacket fat. The grease resultant from the methods of members lz are connected by pipes h at their production heretofore known has not been enlower ends to a header i through which steam tirely satisfactory in respect, more particularly, and condensate are discharged.

l5 to clarity and uniformity, and the addition of To the bottom of the kettle, which is preferably 70v water with the oil ingredient heretofore necesdished as shown, is connected an outlet pipe k, sary gives rise to various problems and difliculties provided with a valve lc', and connected in turn to from the manufacturing standpoint. a T tting, one end of which is connected to a Now, inaccordance with my invention, I provide draw off line Z provided with .a valve and leading a novel apparatus for the production of grease to a suitable receptacle for the product, and the 75 and which with avoidance of the addition of third end of which is'connected to the intake of water as such, enables the production of grease a suitable pump m driven, through gearing, by of high qualityand substantial uniformity in a a motor n. minimum of time and with the use of much lower The discharge of pump m is connected to one pressure than heretofore required. end of a pipe o, provided with valves p and p, 80

In the practical adaptation of the apparatus and the other end of which is connected to the embodying my invention, the usual grease making kettle at its top. The top of the kettle is profats, as horse oil, tallow, stearic acid, oleic acid, vided with a suitably closed opening q through lard oil, cottonseed oil, castor oil, corn oil, etc., which the kettle may becharged.

or their fatty acids, or mixtures thereof, may In carrying out the method in accordance with 86 be used and the ingredients of the grease, inmy invention, utilizing the apparatus embodying cluding the fat, saponifying agent and oil are my invention and described above, the kettle b is simultaneously processed at suitable temperacharged with the requisite ingredients in desirtures and pressures, as will more fully appear able proportion, for example, 86% mineral oil,

` hereinafter. 12% fat, 1.5% calcium hydrate and 0.25% caustic 00 The details of the means embodying my invensoda. During the charging the stirring or agitattion will, it is believed be readily understood in ing device is operated, as is also the pump m connection with a detailed description of a prewhich, the valve lc and the valves p, p" in pipe o ferred form of apparatus embodying my' invention being open, draws from the bottom of the kettle 40 and shown in the accompanying drawings, in and discharges into the top, thus as the kettle is 95 which: charged the ingredients are both stirred or agi- Figure 1 is a view, in elevation and partly in tated and circulated in the kettle. section, of an apparatus embodying my inven- When the kettle is charged steam is admitted to tion. the jackets h, to heat the contents of the kettle Figure 2 is a plan view, partly broken away while the agitation and circulation thereof is` 100 and partly in section, of the kettle shown in continued. Fig. l. When the fat begins to saponify the pressure In the drawings a indicates a base from whichl within the kettle rises, the kettle being closed the kettle b is supported. The kettle b is pro'- after charging is completed, and steam is mainl vided with a stirring or agitating device comtained in the jackets h until the pressure in the 105 prising a vertical shaft, or Spindle, e upon which kettle rises to about 20 lbs. per square inch, as obare mounted arms c, of a length substantially served from asuitable gauge. When the pressure less than the diameter of the kettle, and arms c', in the kettle reachesabout 20 pounds the temof greater length than arms c and connected at perature of the contents will be' aboutl 235 F.- I their ends to Scrapers d in contact with the walls 240 F. and the volume of steam to the jackets is 110 then decreased, after which the pressure within the kettle may rise to upwards of 50 pounds per square inch. The requisite treatment will be completed'in about one-half hour from the admission of steam to the jackets h, after whichthe contents-of the kettle are permitted to cool down to about 150 .FL-160 F. and nished grease then unloaded or drawn off from the kettle.

In the carrying out of the method as above described, it is desirable that the agitation and circulation be continued throughout the processing of the grease and it will be noted that the moisture formed in saponiflcation is suiiicient to hold the nished product in perfect solution.

In carrying out the method in accordance with my invention; it will be noted that various fats may be used and that for calcium\hydrate I may substitute other hydrated salts, as for example, barium oxide, lead oxide, etc., and the like, While for caustic soda. I may substitute other alkalies such as, ior example, caustic potash, etc., and the like. The mineral oil used may be any of the usual paraiin base or asphalt base petroleum oils having Saybolt viscosities between 100 and 2000 at 100 F. It will also be noted that the formula given herein by way of illustration may be widely varied for the production of greases having desired characteristics.

By virtue of my invention a batch of grease may be made in about four hours, including loading and unloading the kettle as compared to about eight hours by prior methods, and the operation is greatly simpliiied due to the requirement for but a single step, the lower pressure and the noni addition of water as such. Further, the product `will be found of greater clarity and more uniform narrow, transversely curved plates having their edges secured to the outer wall of the cylindrical pressure Vessel andv their end openings closed t0 form a multiplicity of longitudinally disposed axial chambers .for the reception of heating medium under pressure and to reinforce said cylindrical pressure vessel.

JALEES MCKEE. 

